Keeping It Real: The Only Copywriting Trick That Works

Much of today's accepted copywriting wisdom comes from old books written for a different, quieter world.

For most of the twentieth century, widely promoting a successful message was expensive and difficult, requiring control of significant resources and substantial time commitments. Though the general public was more trusting and open to suggestion, more effort was required to reach them. Until the mid-nineties, marketing was generally a money game: whoever could afford the loudest message often sold the most product.

The information age - and the Internet in particular - changed all that.

Today, your competitors aren't the other businesses providing similar services: they are the millions of voices screaming at the top of their lungs, desperate for attention. They are the vast seas of noise - the four billion websites that are of no interest to your prospects, the commercials that don't relate to them, the telemarketing calls that still interrupt their dinner despite new laws. Your competitors are everyone and everything that pushes the general public into apathy, desensitized by information overload.

Creative and pushy techniques don't work when a million other people are doing the same thing. The battle today is not to make people listen, but to convince them that you are worth listening to. While authenticity has always been a good strategy, now it is the entire game.

To write truly effective marketing copy, you must go beyond the buzzwords, slogans and pitches, to get to the secrets that make your business unique and credible:

Challenge your own assumptions about your clients and their needs. It is easy to fall into the trap of limiting your market with faulty assumptions. Take a hard look at your current marketing efforts - who do you think your clients are, and why do you think that? Gather as much information about your clients as possible and challenge any beliefs you hold that are not based on solid evidence. Never assume that common wisdom is actually true - it often isn't.

Question the quality and value of your own services. People do not buy things; they buy values. Take a fresh look at the value of what you offer, and what makes that value attractive to prospects and clients. Question it: explore new areas where your services would be useful, and new ways that you can improve their relevance. Dig deep to learn what you are really selling and what it truly means.

Embrace your flaws as well as your strengths. None of us are perfect, but most attempt to disguise or deny their flaws by overcompensating in marketing. Flaws are relative things, and weakness in one area is often the result of strength in another. Don't disguise your flaws - simply present them positively. Brainstorm ways to turn your weaknesses to your advantage.

Ask yourself - is your marketing driving you to higher standards, or disguising lower ones? Effective marketing is never about the status quo; it is either a growth vehicle or a means of damage control. Which are you doing? Are you promoting yourself based on valid strengths, or are you trying to cover up apparent weaknesses? If your marketing does not inspire you to serve your clients better, it won't inspire prospects to become new ones.

In a world of noise and manipulations, your prospects crave simplicity and integrity. Honestly approaching these issues will result in a wealth of unique material for your advertising efforts, as well as new insights into your own business.

Retire the tricks and gimmicks - they don't work anymore and probably never will again. If you want to attract and keep clients, use the only copywriting trick worth learning: reality.

About The Author

Robert Warren (http://www.rswarren.com) is a professional marketing copywriter and editorial consultant, specializing in promoting experts and independent professionals with the power of the written word. His offices are based in Orlando, Florida.

writer@rswarren.com

---

Can Anyone Succeed as a Freelance Copywriter?

This is a question that can be answered in a lot of different ways.But let's start with a perfectly simple and honest answer.No.No, in spite of what... Read More

Tech-writers: A Necessary Evil

New to tech-writing, or thinking about starting? The key to success is recognising that tech-writers are a necessary evil.Tech-writers are necessary because someone has to write the... Read More

Working With a Freelance Editor

If you are interested in creating information products, you will very likely deal with editors throughout your career. You may need someone to edit a book, review... Read More

Web Copy ? How Much is Enough?

These days, there's widespread acceptance that a website is an integral part of the marketing plan of any business. Likewise, it's commonly accepted that web copy is... Read More

Writing for People and Search Engines

Writing for the search engines is much different than writing in any other medium. Search engines are finicky, but they love text, so you're talking their language.... Read More

10 Things You Should Expect From Your Website Copywriter

As websites and electronic commerce are becoming more and more common, business owners and marketing managers are realising that quality web copy is every bit as important... Read More

Working on the Internet: Role of Proofreading and Copy editing OnLine

When one is in a creative state, rarely can one also be in a detail state. Thus, mistakes in correct grammar, spelling and continuity of all details,... Read More

Advice for Copywriters: How to Win the Freelance Bidding War

Are you a freelance copywriter working from home? If so, you've probably been on the project bidding war sites, like elance.com. You've probably seen ads like this:"Need... Read More

How To Write Headlines That Get Attention

No doubt, the headline is the most important part of any advertisement or sales letter. The reason is very simple. The headline is the first thing your... Read More

Copywriter Rates, Getting The Facts Beforehand

Have you ever had the experience of hiring a freelance copy writer only to find that the project takes longer than expected, or that the fees they... Read More

Copywriting for the Web: Do You Have What It Takes?

In the world of web copywriters, many will try, but few will succeed. What category will you be classified as? Hopeless failure, or smashing success?Well, that's a... Read More

?Super Adjectives? Boost the Power of Your Copy

Pretty or elegant? Good or scrumptious? Nice or delightful? There is power in the adjectives you choose. Just like Clark Kent and Superman or Bruce Wayne and... Read More

Copywriting Secrets Of Indias Mystics

Hi everyone,Been ruminating on this one for a little while now but it's probably one of the most profound discoveries of my life. It all began with... Read More

Sell Anything To Anyone On The Internet With Hypnotic Writing

I imagine you are the type of person who really wants to make your idea a reality. I also think that you fall into one of two... Read More

A Quick Free n Easy Content Writing Course

I do not pretend that a one-stop shop solution to content writing exists, but my experience has taught me, that working toward a 100% effective writing formula... Read More

7 Formulas for Articles That GET READ!

Many of us have been asked to write an article at one time or another. Maybe it's a contribution to the company newsletter. Or a promotional article... Read More

Magic Words That Sell and What Words to Avoid

We all know words are powerful. Whether written or spoken, according to advertising legend David Ogilvy, some of the most persuasive words to use in marketing are:Now... Read More

The One Word Every Prospect Craves

It's arguably the most important word in the copywriter's arsenal. It ranks right at the top with words like "free," "new" and "savings."I'm talking about "you.""You" is... Read More

On Copying and Stealing Designs

The notion on the great artist, Pablo Picasso's quote, "Bad artists copy. Good artists steal" is lost on many. And revolving around the graphic designer circles is... Read More

Organizing Your Data to Write Better Copy

Last quarter I talked about interviewing / gathering data. So now you've got several thousand words of notes, hopefully digitally recorded. What comes next?GETTING ORGANIZEDI suggested organizing... Read More

Why Your Advertising Copy is not the Most Important Part of Your Ad

If you own a shop in the middle of the desert, and nobody walks past... obviously you're not going to attract many customers.If you own a vegetarian... Read More

10 Tips for Writing Effective Web Copy

On the Internet programmers and designers rule, not the writer. Yet words drive targeted traffic to your site, carry content, make the sale, convey marketing messages, persuade... Read More

3 Copywriting Tips - How To Edit For Mass Appeal!

Web copy that's intended to sell or generate leads needs to quickly reach out and grab attention and build rapport with a target audience. You can connect... Read More

Dont Forget The Copywriting

Copywriting And Content CreationOne of the most important, but often overlooked aspects of marketing is copywriting. Businesses afford much attention, time and money, on graphics, mail formats... Read More

The Second Most Important Element of Your Ad... after the Headline

Hi {FIRSTNAME Friend},Next time you're flicking through your local newspaper, take a good hard look at the ads. And notice how many of them give you a... Read More

To Start Making Cash from Your Online Writing, You Must Draw Blood First

Writers write just like painters, paint on canvas. This is one of the reasons why it is important that you launch your writing career by getting some... Read More